written before departure

Original graphics and texts, without authorization, please do not reprint, and those who steal will be held accountable.

Not long ago, I saw a video of planting grass: the endless Tiffany blue lake, driving in the deserted Gobi. These scenes made our hearts beat for a long time without going out. After doing a guide on the Internet, I found that there are still many niche destinations in Haixi, so I booked a ticket and made a few friends and we set off.

【Air ticket, car rental, hotel, strategy TIPS】

【About traffic】

1. You can choose to go to Dunhuang by train or plane, and the plane usually transits in Lanzhou or Xi'an. We set off from Nanning, first transferred to Lanzhou for 3 hours and then went to Dunhuang. You can pick up the car after arriving at Dunhuang Airport.

2. After we arrived in Dunhuang, we rented a car and drove by ourselves. There are few scenic spots in the urban area of ​​Dunhuang. Yulin Grottoes, Mogao Grottoes, and Yadan Devil City are all far away from the urban area. It is recommended to drive or charter a car.

【About car rental】

1. We rented a Hyundai Shengda this time. After comparing prices at that time, I found that it is a 7-seater car, which is only 8 yuan a day more expensive than the Hyundai IX35 of the same brand, and the space should be more spacious and comfortable.

2. When picking up the car, you need to prepare the original driver's license and ID card to check the condition of the car. If you add more fuel to the car, the difference will be refunded.

3. The basic insurance is generally included when booking (basic insurance: self-compensation for less than 1500 yuan, only 1500 for 1500-5000, 20%+1500 for vehicles above 5000), but it is recommended to buy an additional basic supplement Guarantee: No compensation for less than 5000, 20% compensation for more than 5000.

4. If you are traveling with friends and book multiple cars, it is recommended to bring a walkie-talkie. There is no mobile phone signal in many places along the way, and it is more convenient to communicate with a walkie-talkie.

【About accommodation】

1. Accommodation in Dunhuang City is recommended to be booked near Mingsha Mountain or Dunhuang Night Market.

2. There are relatively few hotels in Lenghu Town. We live in Chuanjia where there is a restaurant downstairs, which is very convenient

3. The accommodation conditions in the Mars camp are limited. Capsule room 720 can only accommodate one person. You can bring a child to sleep with you. An extra 100 yuan will be charged for the child.

4. The accommodation experience at Yadan RV camp on the water was very bad. There were a lot of mosquitoes, and the bed was full of dead mosquitoes. I asked the front desk for mosquito coils or mosquito repellent, but was told that they had run out.

5. There are many hotels in Golmud City, but we really strongly recommend this one. It is very cost-effective and I am very satisfied during the stay. Please refer to the travel notes for details.

6. If there is a sandstorm in the starry sky camp, you will not be able to see the stars.

Booking link:

【Dunhuang Baiyun Inn】https://hotels.ctrip.com/hotel/36254192.html

https://hotels.ctrip.com/hotel/15565762.html

[Mangya Mars Camp] https://hotels.ctrip.com/hotel/63059491.html

https://hotels.ctrip.com/hotel/21334579.html

https://hotels.ctrip.com/hotel/20026241.html

【Golmud Starway Hotel】https://hotels.ctrip.com/hotel/60632336.html

 

【Important TIPS】

1. The weather is very dry, so be sure to prepare enough water and various vitamins, facial masks, and lipsticks, otherwise it will dry out in minutes.

2. The temperature difference between morning and evening is huge. We need to wear down jackets in the morning and skirts at noon. Our car is full of clothes (changing at any time, hahahaha).

3. Sun protection! Apply sunscreen thickly to all exposed skin except the face, extremities! Wear sunscreen if you can! Do a good job of after-sun repair! Otherwise, it will peel off in minutes (advice from sunburned people).

4. Pay attention to the time when booking a car, pay attention to the condition of the car when picking up the car, and pay attention to safety & fuel tank conditions when driving by yourself.

5. Lanzhou Airport has free transit meals and transit hotels, but pay attention to flight time.

6. Tickets for Mogao Grottoes and Dunhuang Museum need to be booked in advance.

7. When traveling during the epidemic, please understand the epidemic prevention policy of the destination and prepare in advance. I am a Wuhan native who has lived in Nanning for a long time (the ID card is from Wuhan). Before traveling, I took a nucleic acid test and carried it with me. There are several friends from Wuhan who are traveling with me, and they all go out with nucleic acid test reports within 7 days.

8. During the epidemic period, the flights changed a lot. Our return flights to Chengdu, Wuhan, and Nanning were cancelled, and they were all rebooked at that time. Special attention should be paid to connecting flights.

D1 Arrive at Dunhuang, Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring

The last time I went to Dunhuang was 6 years ago, and Mr. Wu and I met here. Returning to the place where we met back then also gave us more expectations for this trip. From Nanning to Dunhuang, you need to transfer in Lanzhou. Passengers who take domestic flights and go through procedures at the transfer counter of Lanzhou Airport (three meals: before 08:30, 11:00-12:30, 17:00-18:30) You can get a beef noodle meal coupon at the [transit counter]

The free beef noodles are basically vegetarian, and we added extra meat for our own money, and it immediately became an authentic beef ramen.

It was already 5 pm when we picked up the car and arrived in the city to check in. We live in Yueyaquan Village, Yueyaquan Town, next to Mingsha Mountain. The entire street here is full of various homestays, and it takes about 5-10 minutes to walk to Yueyaquan. Baiyunjian Hotel is cost-effective, and the bathroom floor drain in some rooms will return to the smell. The hotel itself does not include breakfast, and there is a set of breakfast for 12 yuan (baozi, porridge, soy milk) nearby. The boss at the front desk told us that Mingsha Mountain does not stop entering the park until 8:30 p.m., and the sunset in Dunhuang during this time is around 9:15, so we packed our luggage and prepared to go to Mingsha Mountain to watch the sunset.

To enter Mingsha Mountain, you need to show the Gansu Green Code, and tourists from Hubei need to provide a nucleic acid test report. Tickets: 110 yuan / person, no need to book in advance. The use of drones is strictly prohibited in the scenic area, and there is a parking lot in the scenic area. Now Dunhuang can also book starry sky camping + bonfire party + outdoor barbecue in Mingsha Mountain (non-scenic area).

It can be seen from the photos that there are still a lot of tourists in Mingsha Mountain. Now Mingsha Mountain has more recreational facilities than 6 years ago. In addition to riding camels, riding desert off-road vehicles, you can also experience paragliding. The sun radiation here is very strong, and the ultraviolet rays are super strong, so you must take sun protection when you go.

There are two best angles to appreciate or take pictures of Crescent Lake: one is to climb to the top of the sand mountain and overlook the Crescent Spring; the other is to look at the Crescent Lake from a close distance. Seeing the scene in front of me, I couldn't help but want to sing "Whose heart..."

We didn't come out of the scenic spot until sunset, and went to the city to buy some water and snacks and put them in the back box as supplies for the next few days. Then find a restaurant for dinner and then go back to the hotel to rest.

Regarding dinner, I really strongly recommend this "Desert Huyang Stewed Cake". Huyang stewed cake is an authentic Dunhuang speciality. The Huyang stewed cake in this store is soft and tasty, without any smell. The skin is full of gravy, which is very delicious. In addition to the Huyang stewed cake, it is also the first time we have eaten fried elm money. Scrambled eggs with scallions have no onion flavor but are very fragrant. We ate one and ordered another. After that, we had to ask each store if there was scrambled eggs with scallions. The ingredients in this store are fresh and the service attitude is also good. very good, worth a try

D2 Axel, Cold Lake Town, Mars Camp

Dunhuang-Aksay Nine-story Demon Tower Self-driving kilometers: 104 kilometers Time spent: 2 hours

We set off from Dunhuang early in the morning and started the first day of self-driving. It was only over 100 kilometers from Dunhuang to Aksai. Akesai Kazak Autonomous County (referred to as Aksai County) is affiliated to Jiuquan City, Gansu Province. It is located at the intersection of Gansu, Qinghai, and Xinjiang provinces (regions). It is the only minority autonomous county in Gansu Province with Kazakhs as the main body. We The first destination of Aksay Oil Town is the filming location of the movies "West Wind" and "Nine-story Demon Tower".

This place is much more magical than we imagined. There are buses stuck in the soil, abandoned factories full of debris, strange sculptures, and dilapidated buildings. Such a small town appears in the vast Gobi. It is weird and interesting. Love it Friends who take pictures are not to be missed.

The ticket for the scenic spot is 20 yuan/person, and the battery car is 10 yuan/person, but we didn’t buy a battery ticket. The location inside is not big, and we can take pictures all the way, and we can find interesting things everywhere. There is a free parking lot at the entrance of the scenic spot.

Aksay Petroleum Town-Lenghu Town Self-driving kilometers: 148 kilometers Time spent: 2.5 hours

It was already past two o'clock in the afternoon when we came out of the oil town, and there were no restaurants nearby. We decided to eat the dry food we prepared yesterday before taking a look along the way. Driving in the Gobi is really different from driving in the city. The surroundings are endless, there is no life, and there are few cars encountered, but it also makes every encounter a surprise.

The sky gradually became cloudy while driving. Normally, this place is very dry, with an annual rainfall of only about 300mm. However, it was a coincidence that we encountered a few rains that were rare this year.

The Montenegro under the cloudy sky looks more and more mysterious, the surface seems to be covered with a layer of tulle, and it looks like an ink painting from a distance. We all parked our cars on the side of the road and took pictures.

After driving for more than 4 hours, it was already 4 o'clock in the afternoon when we arrived in Lenghu Town, and the rain was still falling. There are not many hotels that can be booked in Lenghu Town. We stayed at Haixi Chuanjia Business Hotel. There is a Chuanjia Restaurant next to them, which is very convenient. The rooms are also very clean, and there is a parking lot at the door.

The boss said that the road from Lenghu Town to Mars Camp was unable to enter because of the rain today. The inside is full of saline-alkali land, and it is very easy to get stuck in the car after it rains. Inexperienced drivers recommend going the next day when it is sunny. After more than an hour, the rain stopped and everyone had dinner. At around 7 o'clock in the evening, because some of our friends booked accommodation in the Mars camp, 720 yuan a night for a capsule, they still wanted to go, so our two cars decided to split up. Those who have booked accommodation will drive to the Mars camp first, and the friends in the other car will meet them early the next morning.

The friends who went to the Mars camp arrived almost at ten o’clock in the evening. They said that there was no signal along the way, and they almost got stuck in the car. Fortunately, the car we rented was a four-wheel drive SUV, and it didn’t get dark until after 9 o’clock. I hope we can go well tomorrow .

D3 Mars No. 1 Highway-Water Yadan

Cold Lake Town - Mars Camp Self-driving kilometers: 80 kilometers Duration: about 3 hours

The map navigation from Cold Lake Town to Mars Camp will take a very long circle (308 kilometers), but in fact there is a road in the middle. The front desk boss drew a very detailed map for us. We got up at 7:00 the next morning, and the sun was shining outside. Chuanjia Hotel didn’t have breakfast, so we could drive to the next town for about 5 minutes. We finished our breakfast, filled up the gas, bought some food supplies at the supermarket and set off.

After turning from National Highway 215 to Mars No. 1 Highway, the road conditions began to become very bad, and the mobile phone signal was lost. Because yesterday's rain hadn't completely dried up on some sections of the road, it was still slippery when driving, and the steering wheel was out of control. At this time, you must not panic, don't step on the brakes, otherwise the car will easily sink, you can only walk slowly, and keep grinding the steering wheel left and right.

After three hours of bumpy journey, we finally saw the Martian camp in the desert! ! ! The phone finally has a signal! !

Lenghu Mars Camp is located in Erboliang Yadan, 60 kilometers west of Lenghu Town, Haixi Mongolian and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. The Mars Camp covers an area of ​​about 80 acres and can accommodate 60 people in capsule cabins at the same time.

The current price of the capsule warehouse is 720 yuan/room/person. Men and women are separated, and two people cannot live together. One parent can bring one child, and children need an extra 100 yuan.

If you don't stay, you can't enter the capsule area of ​​the accommodation to take pictures, you can visit in the public area and outside.

At the front desk, you can also rent a space suit to take pictures. The simple version is 88 yuan for half an hour and 158 yuan for an hour, the advanced version is 300 yuan for half an hour, and 500 yuan for an hour.

There is a saying that "it's all here". We rented a set of high-end clothes and experienced the feeling of being in space, but we felt that it was not enough to shoot for an hour.

There is no separate bathroom in the cabin, there is a separate shower and public toilet area. The camp can provide three meals a day, and the breakfast is 88 people, and the portion is relatively small.

Taking pictures outdoors is really tormenting, the clothes are thick and stuffy, and I have to get in the car to blow on the air conditioner after taking pictures for a while.

We went to Wadi Rum in Jordan last summer. Previous films such as "The Martian" and "Star Wars" were filmed in Wadi Rum. Many people think that it is the place most like Mars on Earth, but when When we came to the Mars camp in Cold Lake, we found that the Yadan landform here also has its own different characteristics, and the self-driving on the Mars No. 1 highway made us enjoy it even more.

Cold Lake Mars Camp - Water Yadan Self-driving kilometers: 119 kilometers Time spent: 3 hours

After playing in the Mars camp all morning, we set off for Yadan on the water after lunch. The weather along the way was very dry and hot, even though I drank water desperately, my lips still felt chapped.

The road from the Martian camp to Yadan on the water is really beautiful. The sky was clear and cloudless, and we were overwhelmed with all kinds of Yadan along the way. We swept away the haze of yesterday and enjoyed the fun of self-driving in the desert.

After driving for almost two hours, the friends in the back row had already fallen asleep in a trance, and suddenly heard the co-driver shout "Look, this is a lake!" After we checked the navigation, we found that it was "Xitaijinel Lake", so is it very close to Dongtai Jinel? !

The shore lake of Jinel Lake in Xitai is Quaternary alluvial, alluvial, eolian, lacustrine clastic deposits and salt chemical deposits. The lakes on both sides of the road show different colors, and the mud by the lake is easy to sink into, so it is recommended to take pictures on the side of the road. There are single lanes in both directions here, so be sure not to park in the middle of the road, which will affect the traffic, and pay attention to vehicles when going to and from both sides of the road.

It is very close from Xitaijinel Lake to Shuishang Yadan. We stayed in the RV camp of Shuishang Yadan, which is also the [least recommended] accommodation during our trip.

The Water Yadan RV camp is located in the Water Yadan Scenic Area. Even if you are staying in a hotel, you have to buy tickets for the scenic spot first. The ticket for the scenic spot is 60 yuan per person, and the battery ticket is 60 yuan per person (the staff said that the round trip is ten kilometers), and now self-driving private cars are not allowed to drive in it. We first bought tickets and went to the hotel front desk to check in.

We booked a family caravan, which can accommodate four people. There are two kinds of RVs in the camp with the doors facing the sun and those with the back sun. Our room was back to the sun, and we were shocked when we first entered the room. There were swarms of mosquitoes flying inside, and there were so many dead mosquitoes on the bed, I almost thought it hadn't been cleaned. There is no air conditioner inside, and it is stuffy and hot. The staff said that they can only open the windows for ventilation, and it will be cool at night. I went to the front desk to ask for mosquito coils or mosquito repellent. The front desk said they had run out and the newly purchased ones hadn’t arrived yet. They changed us to a RV with a sunny door. There weren’t so many mosquitoes flying, but there were still many dead mosquitoes on the bed. . There is only one nearby hotel, Wusu Yadan Hotel, which is already fully booked. We would never have stayed here if we hadn’t had anything to change.

The place to eat is on the second floor of the ticket office. The first page of the menu is a la carte, and the second page is a set menu. Many dishes in the set menu do not appear on the first page. If you want to order the dishes in the set menu, the waiter will just say the price. A tomato scrambled egg is 38 yuan, and shredded cabbage is 38 yuan. The serving is very, very slow. Two vegetarian dishes are served in half an hour. The dishes were all eaten and the rest of the dishes hadn't come yet.

The next day's breakfast is also here. There are few types of dishes, and the porridge is like rice soup, but there is only this shop around, and there is really no choice for living in the scenic area.

Although the accommodation and dining experience of Yadan on the water is not very good, the scenic spot is still very distinctive. We have been to Yardang Devil City, passed by Eboliang Yadan, and this is the first time we have seen Yardang on the water. The bumps are like warships in the water.

In the evening, we walked to Yadan, and when we looked up, we could see the starry sky. After the moon slowly set, the Milky Way became clearer and clearer. If we looked up for a long time, we could find shooting stars. It's just that the night here is really cold, so you have to wear long pants and a jacket.

D4 Chaerhan Salt Lake of Jiner Lake in Dongtai - Golmud

Water Yardang-Dongtai Jinel Lake Self-driving Kilometers: 28 Duration: 20 minutes

It only takes 20 minutes to drive from Shuishang Yadan to Dongtai Jiner Lake. When we passed by Xitai Jiner Lake, we found that the reflection of the sun on the lake would make the photos unsightly, so we left Shuishang Yadan after breakfast. .

When I really got to the lake, I can only say, it’s so beautiful! ! ! ! It is so beautiful that it cannot be described, it really is the legendary "Maldives Qinghai Fenfu". The Tiffany blue lake stretches as far as the eye can see, occasionally revealing some white salt-alkali flats, which is a beauty visible to the naked eye without any filter! Only four words can be said! Well worth the trip!

Be sure to pay attention to sun protection! Sun protection! I forgot to apply sunscreen to my legs that day, and as a result, I got sunburned directly for more than an hour. Later, wearing long trousers was painful, and the skin peeled off immediately when I went home. It was a painful lesson.

Coming out of Dongtai Jinaier, we are going to Golmud. On the way, we passed an internet celebrity check-in point, a large U-shaped road at the No. 766 boundary marker on the G315 National Highway. There are many people who will go to the lowest point in the middle of the road to take pictures, but we do not advocate it for safety reasons. There are many large trucks traveling in both directions. If they cannot stop when they come down the slope, or if the person taking pictures is not paying attention, accidents are easy to happen. Therefore, it is not recommended that you take risks just to take pictures.

Since we were filming and stopping all the way, it was already past 7 o'clock in the evening when we arrived at Chaerhan Salt Lake. The route displayed by the navigation led to a local factory. Already off work. I have no choice but to leave this regret, and come again next time.

Arriving in Golmud, we stayed at Golmud Starway Hotel. This is a very cost-effective hotel that is highly recommended.

It is not far from the city center, there is a free parking lot at the door, and there is a free breakfast on the first floor. The service of the hotel staff is very enthusiastic. The room is spacious and comfortable, with complete facilities and stylish decoration. The quality of bedding is no less than that of a five-star hotel, and the quality of sleep is very good. There is a restaurant next to the hotel, which is also delicious and cheap. If we have the opportunity to come to Golmud again, we will choose this hotel again.

D5 Kunlun Mountain Grand Canyon - Haixi Dachaidan Star Camp

Golmud Starway Hotel - Kunlun Mountain Grand Canyon Self-driving kilometers: 160 kilometers round trip Duration: about 3 hours round trip

From Golmud all the way down, the altitude is getting higher and higher. The Kunlun Mountain Grand Canyon we are going to go to today has an altitude of about 3500 meters. It didn't take long to drive out from Golmud and entered the Tibetan Guanyang section of the Qinghai-Tibet Highway.

There are a lot of big trucks on this road, like Optimus Prime, we met some riders riding to Tibet and sheep on the side of the road, which is similar to our self-driving in Gansu and Mars camp It feels completely different.

At the entrance of the Grand Canyon, we need to change cars, because we have to climb a section of the waterway, so we can only take the off-road vehicles provided by the scenic spot. The driver brother helped us fill up the gas and get ready to go!

Today's itinerary is to take an ATV to cross the front section of the Grand Canyon, hike the middle section of the Grand Canyon, and finally go to Nanhu Lake.

Although the wading section is only about one kilometer, it is an experience we have never had before. Sitting in the ATV, there are golden canyons on both sides and a rushing stream below. to the car. Bumpy all the way, but also exciting and interesting.

Under the condition of ensuring safety, the little driver brother let us drive by ourselves. It can only be said that it is much more difficult than imagined! For a car with a manual transmission, the girl in that gear needs two hands to move it, but "it's all here", so of course I still have to try it.

At the end of the river tracing, the driver brother took out the cold noodle and stewed vegetables prepared in advance. This is our lunch. Of course, after eating, the garbage should be taken away by yourself, so don't leave it in the scenic area.

For hiking in the middle section of the canyon, everyone must wear good walking shoes, do not run and jump, but walk slowly. The two friends who were traveling with me both suffered from altitude sickness here, feeling out of breath and having some headaches.

We climbed to the top of the canyon, and we can see a different scenery from here. The land cracked before my eyes, forming this canyon, and the melted snow water from the snow-capped mountains in the distance flowed into the canyon to form this stream. This is also the filming location of the movie "Tianmu".

It is only 5 minutes by ATV from the canyon to South Lake. The existence of Nanhu seems to have added a touch of vitality to this dry land. The lake water and the blue sky complement each other, and the day's itinerary also ends here.

The Kunlun Mountain Grand Canyon is the southernmost point of our trip, and we will return next. It was getting dark while we were driving. Normally, the sunset here is around 9 o'clock. We checked the news and found that there were sandstorms in Xinjiang, Gansu, and Qinghai. In the circle of friends, there are friends who just arrived at Jinel Lake in Dongtai today. The photos are full of wind and sand, and there is no blue color. I feel a little lucky.

That night we stayed at the starry sky camp at 37 degrees north latitude in Dachaidan, Haixi. The online pictures we saw when we booked were very beautiful, but due to the sandstorm, we didn’t see anything that night and had to go to bed early. The campsite is right next to the national highway, the location is easy to find, and the room rate includes breakfast. Each room is an independent small tent, one side is transparent to view the scenery, but the inner walls of the room are wrapped in leather cloth, which has a strong smell, and the bathroom is an electric water heater. Boil the water for half an hour before the second person can wash it. There are too many mosquitoes at night, so the door cannot be opened.

The camp is still very distinctive. Compared with Yadan on the water and Mars camp, the price/performance ratio is also good. If the weather is good, it is worth a try.

When we got up early the next morning, the sandstorm was still very serious. We didn’t want to try the hotel’s sand boarding and other rides, so we rushed back.

D6 Emerald Lake - Dunhuang Shazhou Night Market

Starry Sky Camp - Emerald Lake Self-driving kilometers: 29 kilometers Duration: half an hour

Emerald Lake is the last scenic spot of our self-driving in Qinghai. There are no tickets for the scenic spot, it has a large area, and you can drive to find a suitable photo spot. Although there was a sandstorm that morning, we couldn’t see the mountains in the distance, and the lake was a little white when viewed from the flat ground, but from the perspective of God, the color of the lake is emerald green, mint blue, and the milky white salt ground by the lake, it’s just a mosaic. The emerald on the earth, you can imagine how beautiful it is usually.

Affected by the weather, we stayed in Emerald Lake for a short time before returning home like an arrow. Thinking about this journey, we went to the oil town, the Mars camp, and saw the snow-capped mountains and canyons. Although there are regrets, it also gave us a reason to come again.

It took about 5.5 hours to drive 349 kilometers from Emerald Lake to Dunhuang. When we saw the sand dunes, we knew we were not far from Dunhuang.

In the last two days in Dunhuang, we stayed at IU Hotel Dunhuang, which is very close to Dunhuang Night Market, only 5 minutes walk. There are many must-eat local restaurants nearby. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, with complete facilities, good sleep quality, and high cost performance. The only disadvantage is that there is no free parking lot, you can only park in a nearby public parking lot, and the overnight fee is 15 yuan/car.

As soon as we packed our luggage in Dunhuang, we went to the night market! The Shazhou Night Market is really good to visit! Here you can buy a lot of souvenirs with local characteristics: bottled sand paintings, seals carved on site, surroundings with flying apsaras patterns, and clay paintings copied from the murals of Mogao Grottoes. These exquisite little things make everyone fondle admiringly . The price is not very expensive, you can also bargain.

In the middle of the night market, there is a gourmet area called Shazhou Shiyi, which can be said to be a fusion of western delicacies and Dunhuang characteristics. There are a few must-eats: red willow roast meat (the meat is roasted on red willow wood), Xinjiang baked buns, Xinjiang jar meat, Li Guangji apricot skin tea (the best apricot skin tea I have ever drunk), Pao'er Oil cake (Dunhuang exclusive feature)!

D7 Yulin Grottoes, Dunhuang Museum

Downtown Dunhuang-Yulin Grottoes Self-driving kilometers: 324 kilometers round trip Duration: about 4 hours round trip

Both Wu Zhe and I have been to Mogao Grottoes last time, so this time we chose to visit Yulin Grottoes in Guazhou, which is also a branch of the art system of Mogao Grottoes. Yulin Grottoes, also known as Wanfo Gorge and Yulin Temple, are located 70 kilometers south of Guazhou County and are under the jurisdiction of the Dunhuang Academy. The caves are excavated on the upright east-west cliffs on both sides of the Yulin River Canyon. It is named after the forest of elm trees on the river bank. Like Mogao Grottoes, photography is strictly prohibited inside the cave. 

1. During the epidemic prevention and control period, only 5 caves of Yulin Grottoes are open, and the ticket price is 40 yuan per person per time (excluding special caves). The rest of the caves and the courtyard pavilion of Yulin Grottoes are temporarily closed.

2. The maximum limit of single-day ticket reservations for Yulin Grottoes is adjusted to 50% of the total daily carrying capacity, that is, the ticket sales volume is 900 tickets per day, and tickets will be suspended when the upper limit is reached.

3. All tourists must apply for the "National Epidemic Prevention Information Code" (for tourists outside Gansu Province) or "Gansu Provincial Health Travel Code" (for tourists within Gansu Province) in advance before making an appointment to buy tickets. Tourists with a green "Health Code" can make an appointment Tourists with yellow or red codes are not allowed to purchase tickets.

4. Implement the "one-entry-one-test real-name registration" system, that is, check health codes, measure body temperature, and register information. Tourists who do not carry second-generation ID cards are prohibited from entering. Visitors entering the scenic area must wear masks correctly throughout the process.

On the way back from Yulin Grottoes, we also passed the sculpture "Son of the Earth". Located on the Gobi Desert in Guazhou, this sculpture was created by Professor Dong Shubing of Tsinghua University. This sculpture is 15 meters long, 4.3 meters high, and 9 meters wide. It is a giant baby lying on the ground and sleeping peacefully. The red sandstone is used for 3D carving, and finally it is carved and installed piece by piece. It is said that the original intention of the professor's creation is to let people passing by here cherish the resources of the earth and protect the environment.

It was only 2:30 in the afternoon when we returned to Dunhuang city, so we went to the Dunhuang Museum again. In fact, I think the essence of a place is in the museum, and you can’t take pictures in the Mogao Grottoes, but there are 1:1 special caves in the Dunhuang Museum to make up for this regret.

The Dunhuang Museum also adopts an appointment system. After making an appointment, you can enter by swiping your ID card. Tickets are free.

The overall layout of the basic exhibitions of the Dunhuang Museum is divided into a preface hall and five exhibition halls. The first exhibition hall is the great development of Dunhuang in the Han Dynasty, the second exhibition hall is the continued development of Dunhuang in the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the third exhibition hall is the prosperity of Dunhuang in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the fourth exhibition hall is Tubo and the Five Dynasties and the Song, Yuan, and Ming Dynasties, and the fifth exhibition hall is the Qing Dynasty’s analysis of Dunhuang. development. At the entrance of each exhibition hall, there is an audio guide that can be scanned and collected.

The picture below is the restoration model of Cave 45 of Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes located in the third exhibition hall. The cave is 439 cm long, 471 cm wide and 503 cm high. Its statues and murals are exquisitely depicted, directly reflecting the life style of people from all walks of life at that time.

For dinner, we chose [Jingyuan Galiu Delicious Lamb Meat]. Their mutton is really authentic. Whether it is hand-grabbed white strips or cumin lamb chops, the mutton is soft and tender. It is even more fragrant, and the ingredients are really good. But there is a "Dunhuang jelly" that is not recommended, except that it is sour, it is not delicious at all.

D8 Dunhuang White Horse Tower, Leiyin Temple, Return

On the afternoon of the 1st, we suddenly received a text message that the next day’s flight was cancelled. The original return flight on the 2nd morning was changed to a transfer to Lanzhou at 6 pm. Fortunately, Lanzhou Airport provided a free night’s accommodation. So we had an extra half day of play time during the day on the 2nd.

After searching the attractions in the city, the nearest one is Baima Tower. It is said that some devout Buddhist believers here buried their white horses under the ancient city and built a tower as a commemoration, so people call this place "White Horse Tower". But when we arrived at the White Horse Tower, the gate was closed, and we could only peek inside through the hole in the wall next to the gate.

We came to Leiyin Temple near Mingsha Mountain again. Do you think of Journey to the West when you hear "Leiyin Temple"? The Leiyin Temple in "Journey to the West" is the two locations of the Lingshan Daleiyin Temple and the Xiaoxitian Xiaoleiyin Temple, both of which are located in Hezhou, Xiniu.

The Leiyin Temple in Dunhuang is not the Leiyin Temple in "Journey to the West". It was originally named Jietuo Temple, also known as Guanyin Hall. It reproduces the style of Tang-style Buddhist temples, and after expansion, it has become the most important place for Chinese Buddhist religious activities in Dunhuang. There is a free parking lot next to it, and tickets are also free.

The front yard of the temple is very old, the pillars are mottled, and the paint is peeling off. The backyard should have been remodeled, repaired and expanded, and the main hall is very solemn.

The most interesting thing we found here should be this "Guan Sha Cave". Guansha Cave is a unique folk traditional building in the Dunhuang area. It is said that people can get rid of disasters and illnesses and bless peace by drilling through it three times. After reading the introduction, we also went to drill three times as the Romans did.

The 8-day self-driving trip has finally come to a successful end. This is our first time driving in Qinghai, but it will certainly not be the last. Thank you for bringing us so many beautiful scenery and memories. The VLOG is also being stepped up and will be posted on Ctrip.

If you have any questions, please leave a message, we will reply in time when we see it, and thank you for your attention.